A basic memorandum is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to get information out to your employees or colleagues about an upcoming meeting. Whether you send it electronically or in hard copy, keep your meeting memo direct, concise and informative.

Plan the meeting before sending your memo. Consider who should be included, what the meeting's main purpose is and what preparation your potential attendees might need to do. Reserve a conference room to ensure you have an appropriate venue for your meeting. If a supervisor or manager needs to attend, check with her assistant to confirm her availability.

Write your memo in standard business format. Start with four basic headings: To, From, Date and Subject. Keep the body of the memo short and to the point. Fill in the headings with the appropriate information, using your name in the "from" line and the date you're writing the memo in the "date" line. Include the names of all meeting addressees in the "to" line so all attendees know who else is included. Keep your subject line concise -- "Board Meeting on Monday, August 6" or "Meeting to Outline Smith Project," for example.

Write your first paragraph to cover all pertinent information about the meeting. Include the date, time and place of the meeting. Clearly state the purpose of the meeting. For example, "to discuss last month's sales figures" or "to identify and assign tasks for the Fall Product Conference" sends a clear message about why you're scheduling a meeting and what attendees should prepare to discuss.

Add a second paragraph if necessary to provide specific guidance about required advance reading or tasks. If you are asking any meeting attendees to prepare materials for the group or to make a presentation at the meeting, make the request in the memo and follow up with the individual in person or by phone.

Close the memo by requesting invitees respond by a set date to let you know whether they'll be attending the meeting.

Send the memo, along with any supporting documentation, to prospective attendees far enough in advance that they have time to work out their schedules and prepare for the meeting.

Tip

Send courtesy copies of your memo to your boss to keep him in the loop.

About the Author

As a national security analyst for the U.S. government, Molly Thompson wrote extensively for classified USG publications. Thompson established and runs a strategic analysis company, is a professional genealogist and participates in numerous community organizations.Thompson holds degrees from Wellesley and Georgetown in psychology, political science and international relations.